Jason Turner
10
songs
284
plays
10 Holy Water 10 Holy Water
09 Imperfect and True 09 Imperfect and True
08 Haunt Me 08 Haunt Me
07 Too Old Now 07 Too Old Now
06 Friends I Used To Know 06 Friends I Used To Know
Show all (10)
Albums
Find this artist on:
www.jasonturnerband.com
www.facebook.com/jasonturnerband
Jason Turner strums the acoustic guitar in his lap as comfortably and casually as some stroke the ears of their best dog.
Storytelling, is the word he pulls out for his music, a prolific batch of songs that also fit under a broader Americana umbrella, gathering up alt-country leanings and touches of blues and rock.
You cant grow up around here without having all that in you, says Turner, 31, a Jackson-born singer-songer who draws from the blues and gospel from his moms job at Malaco, country concerts neighbors took him to and 1990s grunge rock.
I think thats part of Mississippi, all the artists here. Even if youre looking at Wyatt Waters pictures, you can feel and see where you are. I think the songs are like from here, too.
Songs draw on experiences and observations.
I would say its music thats just honest, he says of the auto-bio bent.
What Turner considers his debut CD, the self-released 13 Years, pays homage to his bands age - a ripe one considering as much music as weve written, he says. Its kind of like saying, Finally. He doesnt count a CD he put out at 17 (my voice sounded like Stevie Nicks, it was so high).
The CD release party is Friday at Hal & Mals. In addition to Turner (guitar/vocals), theres Jay Wadsworth (pedal steel), Matt Newman (drums), Adam Perry (bass) and Charlie Townsend (guitar).
The Jason Turner Band got its start at the 1997 Jubilee!JAM, following a couple years of Turners acoustic playing around town.
When bandmates moved on, Turner relocated to Nashville in 2004.
I loved it in Nashville, did fine up there. Just, I was young, newly married, with no plan or stash of savings. He spent most of the time working to make money to make music, he says, such as in his country band Wayward Jackson.
I just got broke right quick, and had to come back, he says, burning out on the hand-shaking and posturing in the music scene there but counting it as a good learning experience.
Im used to being the guy who just goes and plays music, you know? he says. As much as I love music, I almost quit music for a while, the last couple of months I lived in Nashville. I just didnt touch my guitar or anything.
He moved back to Mississippi in 2008; Hal & Mals asked him to come play and acoustic. Of course, the second I played one night, I was back on 100 percent.
Thats why Im having my CD release party there. It just kind of feels like home here.
Touring through Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida follows, with points north after that.
Turners music speaks a little more to a Southern experience without being stereotypically Southern, says Tom Beck, whose Beck Photographic did the CDs art. When I listen to Jason, I can see country roads but I dont see kudzu.
Eric Brown, whos known Turner since they were teens, recognizes the rock n roll they knew growing up in Turners music. The great thing about it is, he does a good job of not changing what he does over time, but growing as an artist overall.
Charly Abraham, former manager at Hal & Mals and now teaching at Delta State Universitys Delta Music Institute, notes Turners musical explorations over the years, solo and with different bands, working toward the right fit.
Everything he does is quality material. It hasnt all been exceedingly popular, Abraham says. He has worked really, really hard on this CD. Im really looking forward to the opportunity to hear it.
Hotter Than the Sun and Friends I Used to Know explore relationship changes while Tonight is a sweethearts promise. Nothingtown delves into small-town frustrations.
Too Old Now is the song of a dreamer.
Its almost like an apology to somebody, or an explanation for someones life the things that theyve done or havent done and then but Im too old now to stop dreaming my life away. Like, well, Im all in now, he says, chuckling.
The only thing I feel right doing is playing a guitar and singing.Have you performed in front of an audience?I play over 200 shows a year in the southeast. There is nothing I love more. I have opened for Violent Femmes, Robert Randolf, Blessed Union of Souls, Tanttric, Cross fade, Autovaughn, Ingram Hill, and Crossin Dixon
What equipment do you use?
Taylor 214, Martin 000c16, Martin d16Contact
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